Generally, the type of fishing reel described above has been well-known as a double bearing reel, in which the clutch mechanism is provided with a clutch lever supported slidably to the reel body. The clutch lever has at its utmost end an operating portion projecting from the outer surface of the reel body so that the operating portion may be manipulated to disconnect the clutch mechanism to make the spool freely rotatable for casting.
An angler, when intending to perform casting, at first pushes the operating portion by his finger and press-contacts the finger onto the outermost layer of a fishing line wound on the spool to stop its rotation, and then swings a fishing rod for casting.
The reason for the above is that the spool, unless its rotation is stopped, will continue its free rotation due to the weight of a rig attached to a line so that the fishing rig which is intentionally kept at the tip of the rod falls on the ground before the rig reaches a desired position.
The conventional double-bearing reel, however, has the operating portion of the clutch lever positioned apart from the spool so that the angler, when intending to stop the spool by use of his finger after pushing the operating portion, cannot do so immediately, and a time difference occurs from the pushing of the operating portion and the stopping of the spool. As a result, he cannot permit a desired casting because the fishing rig falls from a desired location.